The mystery novel has long been a cornerstone of the publishing industry, a widely popular genre that draws millions of readers to bookstores nationwide. As the mystery novel has become more complex, however, it has birthed several sub-genres which have quickly taken root across the publishing spectrum.
A mystery novel refers to any full-length fiction work that involves a crime. Sometimes the protagonist is a member of the police force and sometimes it is simply a concerned citizen, but the mystery novel involves the investigation of crime and the justice brought to the criminal.
Whodunit
The first mystery novel sub-genre is the classic Whodunit, which is a story that focuses on the detective, who works through carefully hidden clues to solve the crime, usually a homicide. Most Whodunits are written either in the first person or only from the point of view of one character, which is almost always the detective.
Famous Whodunit Novelists: Nicholas Blake, Simon Brett, Lawrence Block
Amateur Detective
The second mystery novel sub-genre is the amateur detective story, which is a novel in which the protagonist is not a police detective, but someone whose interest in solving the crime becomes overwhelming. He or she will usually work outside the law the discover who killed, injured or extorted the victim, and is often related to or friends with the victim.
Famous Amateur Detective Novelists: Peter S. Fischer, Agatha Christie, E.C. Bentley
Private Detective
The third mystery novel sub-genre is the private detective story. These novels usually involve a victim who solicits the help of a private eye. The themes are usually dark and violent in private detective novels and the crimes are often more horrific. A private detective novel can also be crossed with a suspense or thriller novel to create characters whose motivations are more psychological.
Famous Private Detective Novelists: Sue Grafton, Lawrence Sanders
Medical Mystery
As science continues to evolve, the medical mysteries are becoming even more popular. Medical mysteries usually take place in a hospital or clinic setting and often involve the illegal actions of doctors, nurses or beaurocrats. Most medical mysteries are written by authors who have an intense understanding of medical procedure (e.g. Robin Cook, M.D.)
Famous Medical Mystery Novelists: Robin Cook, Patricia Cornwell
As humans, we not only have a fascination with crime, but also with the ways in which criminals are brought to justice. The fifth mystery novel sub-genre is courtroom dramas, which are stories which feature an attorney – usually the defense attorney – as the protagonist. The attorney is often representing someone he or she believes to be falsely accused, and it is up to him or her to prove their innocence.
Famous Courtroom Drama Novelists: John Grisham, Richard North Patterson
Suspense/Thriller
Although this is usually not considered a mystery novel sub-genre, many suspense/thriller novels are centered around a mystery and a crime. Combining psychological motivations and heinous crimes, suspense/thriller novelists often weave a harrowing tale in which the protagonists are largely good at heart and facing a formidable adversary.
Famous Suspense/Thriller Novelists: Dean Koontz, John Saul, Michael Connelly
Technical Thriller
The final mystery novel sub-genre I want to mention is the technical thriller in which crimes and mysteries revolve around a technical atmosphere. From military backgrounds to computer forensics, technical thrillers are exciting because they expose the latest threats in our technological progression.
Famous Technical Thriller Novelists: Tom Clancy, Stephen Coonts, Dan Brown, Larry Bond
